Centrifugal pump



Dec. 2, 1958 J. H. HOLSTEIN CENTRIF'UGAL PUMP Filed July 16, 1956 JOHN H. HOLSTE/N INVENTDR HUEB/VER, BEEHLER,

WORREL 8 HE/PZ/G 147' TOP/V516 My M United States Patent 2,862,451 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP John H.- Holstein, Fresno, Calif.

Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 598,142

Claims. (Cl. 103-83) The present invention relates to centrifugal pumps and more particularly to such a pump having a sealed fluid chamber effectively precluding leakage of pumped fluids as well as the ingress to the chamber of contaminants from externally of the pump. The invention is an outgrowth of the pumps comprising the subject matter of my copending United States patent application, issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,759,427 on August 21, 1956, and the instant application is to be regarded as a continuationin-part of my designated earlier application. In many operations and environments, the leakage of pumps is an intolerable hazard. The pumping of radioactive fluids, liquid explosives, inflammable fuels, liquids which volatalize into poisonous gases, fluids containing toxins, pathogenic bacteria, virus, and the like briefly typify pumping operations in which leakage must be avoided if at all possible. The pumping of whole blood, sterile foods, anti-toxins and the like illustrate pumping operations in which air borne or other environmental contaminants must not be permitted ingress into the pumped fluid.

The pumps of the earlier application demonstrated that an effective pumping action could be attained by revolutionary movement, as distinguished from rotary movement, with a complete avoidance of leakage or fluid exposure by the provision of a hollow housing having spaced opposite end walls and a flexible side wall interconnecting the end walls, means mounting the end walls in predetermined spaced relation for revolutionary movement of one end wall relative to the other in a circular orbit, and an impeller positioned between the 'end walls of the housing axially swivelly engaged with said end walls motivated in an action of mutation by relative revolutionary movement of the end walls of the'housing. These pumps successfully obviated the extension of drive shafts into pumping chambers and their requisite packing, hazards of leakage, replacement and maintenance expenses. Y 1 The subject invention is a refinement of the described concept particularly concerned with improvements in structural form. -For example, it has been discovered that the employment of flexible side walls circumscribing theentire pumping chamber has certain economic, production, and operational disadvantages.

A broad object of the present invention is to provide an improved centrifugal pump characterized by its ability to avoid leakage.

Another object is to provide a pump having a fluid chamber in which pumping action is effected by external manipulation of the chamber. i

Other objects are to provide a pump of the character disclosed in' the above identified application which is more economical, more easily constructed, and provides improved operating characteristics.

Another object is to provide a pump which can leak only'in-the event of structural or material failure.

Another objectis to avoid the employment of packing between relatively movable parts in pumps and the ad- 2,862,451 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 justment, replacement, care and expenses incident to known pump packing operations.

Another object is to minimize wear and deterioration in centrifugal pumps.

An additional object is to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a nutatory pump that is operable as a fluid pump, fluid motor, meter or the like.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

Fig. 1' is an axial section of a pump embodying the principles of the present invention connected to a motivating shaft for driving purposes. 7

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the pump taken at a position represented by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is' a fragmentary section of the pump taken on a plane having the posit-ion represented at 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing:

The drive shaft of an electric motor or other prime mover is represented at 10, in Fig. .1, rotatably mounted, as at 11, in a housing or frame 12, of any suitable form. For illustrative convenience, the pump is indicated generally at 13. When the pump and the prime mover are to be constructed as a single entity, the frame 12 preferably provides brackets 14 disposed in a plane normal to the drive shaft 10.

Referring specifically to the pump, aninner wall 20 is conveniently mounted on the flanges 14 by cap screws 21 extended through the flanges and screw-threadedly engaged in the end wall. It will be noted that the end wall provides a substantially cylindrical shoulder 22 concentric to the end wall and disposed toward the housing or frame 12. The end wall also has a substantially circular flat face 23 which in part defines an impeller chamber 24. The periphery of the chamber is defined by a circumscribing annular wall 25 of the end wall 20 which extends inwardly to define an outer marginal side wall and thence outwardly in a cylindrical extension 26 concentric to the shoulder 22.

The inner end wall 20 has an opening 27 therethrough concentrically of the shoulder 22.

An outer cylindrical end wall 30 is slidably fitted to the cylindrical extension 26 and provides a circumscribing flange 31 abutted against the extension. Cap screws 32 are extended through the flange and screw-threadedly engaged in the extension and serve to hold the end walls in fluid tight engagement. The outer end wall has a sub; stantially circular flat inwardly disposed face 33 in parallel spaced relation to the face 23. A shallow bore 34 is provided concentrically in the outer end wall and a swivel bearing 35 mounted therein. A plurality of inlet ports 36 are provided through the outer end wall 30 in a circular arrangement concentrically about the core and swivel bearing. The inlet ports communicate with the interior of a concentric internally screw-threaded nipple 37 outwardly extended from the chamber 24. An inlet duct 38 adapted to supply any fluid to the pump which it is desired to motivate, is screw-threadedly engaged in the nipple 37. v t

It will be observed that the inner end wall 20 andouter end wall 30, associated as described, form a pump housing enclosing the impeller chamber 24. Referring to Fig.

2, it willbe seen that the inner wall 20 has an outlet port 40 tangentially extended from the periphery of the chamber in a plane normal to the shaft 10 and thus normal to the axes of the circular-faces 23 and 33. The port 40 conveniently has a discharge duct 41 screw-threadedl connected thereto.

A drive shaft extension '55 is axially extended from the drive shaft 10 for unitary rotational movement there.- with and provides a keyway 56 longitudinally thereof. A counterbalancing eccentric 57 is mounted on the drive shaft extension 55 for rotation therewith by means of a The eccentric provides a cylindrical bearing receiving surface 60. eccentric to the shaft extension 55' and a substantially cylindrical eccentric weight 61 so that during evenrapidrotation the eccentric is substantially balanced.

A bearing 65'of any suitable form has, an inner race pressed on to the cylindrical'receivingsurface 60 and an outer race.

A drivingh'ea'dor auxiliary wall'70' is mounted on the ou'teriraceofithe" bearin es, for rotation relative to vthe shaft extension '5"ab'ou't' an. axis eccentric thereto. The driving head is fluid impervious and provides a cylindriear shoulder 71, preferably of the same diameter as. the shoulder 22. A swivel bearing72is provided concentric'a'lly in the drivin head.

A discoidal impeller 75 is provided between the faces Band 33 of the end wall's20 and 30, respectively and has axially extended swivel bosses 76 engaged in the bearing's 3'5 and 72'. The opposite faces of the impeller 58 are of conical form, in the embodiment. shown, and the ang'ulari'ty ofthe conical faces is so related to the extent of eccentricity of the swivel bearing 72 with respect to the bearing 35, so. that opposite faces of the impeller enga e the. faces 23 and 33 along diametrically opposite lines of rolling contact. As best shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of port's.77 are provided through the impeller adjacent to the boss, 76. A cylindricalsleeve SGof-rubber, flexible plastic, flexible riietal tubing. or any other suitable material circumscribes-the shoulder 22 on the end wall 2 0.and the shouldd 71 on .the driving head 7 0, in circumscribing relation to the opening 27 and interconnects'the end-wall and the driving head in fluidtight engagement. Circumscribing bands 81 are preferably tightened or shrunk, about-the sleeve 80. where it overlies the shoulders as a further assurance that fluid tightzengagement-is retained.

While. the faces 23and 33 have been; described as being substantially flat and circular and the impeller 75 as being of. discoidal form, it will be apparent that other cooperative-forms of faces and impeller canbe utilized. Numerous such forms were shown anddescribed in the above identified application and are not reviewed herein.

Operation The operationof the pump of the present'invention is believed to be apparent andis briefly reviewed at this point. When the drive shaft 10 is rotated, theextension 55is,correspondingly. rotated. Through the-medium of the eccentric 5.7, the. bearing, 65 is carried in a circular pathrconcentric to the shaft 10. The driving head70 is similarly revolved about the axis of the drive shaft with the bearing 65 permitting the eccentric to rotate within the driving head so that the head revolves without rotat- The eccentriceffectively counterbalances the driving headIand-bearing so that a substantially vibration free operation results.

The sleeve 80 flexes sufficiently toaccommodate the movement of revolution of thedrivinghead sothat the boss 76 located inthe swivel bearing 72 of the driving head70. is carried in a circular path. The driving head can be visualized as moving in a circular orbitconcentric to the shaft 10. located in'a plane-normal to the-shaft.

The orbitof revolutionof-the bearing 72;is such that theadjacent conjugate faces 23 and 33'of the end-walls and 30 and the impeller 75 are in rolling engagement along diametrically opposite radial lines of contact. This association is attained by precise location of the jam nuts 59'. It Will" be apparent that as the driving head 70 revolves, the radial lines of contact correspondingly circumferentially progress so that an action of nutation is imparted to the impeller.

As the impeller is whirled in its progressively tilted circumferential progression in rolling engagement with the end Walls 20 and 30', fiuidin the chamber 24 is whirled rapidly and thrown outwardly. This provides an area of reduced pressure centrally of the impeller and housing and an area. of substantially greater pressure peripherally of the chamber. The duct 38 serves to supply fluid to the ports 3'6'through which the fluid moves into the area of reduced. pressure. Similarly, fluid passes through the ports 77 of the impeller so that fluid supply is made available to both sides of the impeller; The increased pressure peripherally of the impeller causes an effective pumping action outwardly of the: discharge duct 41. It should be observed sthat the impelleliisdn'ven in its movement. of nutation in; a. clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2.

No .drive shafts. or moving. parts are rotatably extended through any of the fluid confining walls of thepump described and thus no, packing is required-and no leakage is possible in the absence ofstructural or material failure. The present. invention has successfully avoided the employment of a. flexible wall in circumscribingrelation to the chamber 24 and has enabled-the utilization ofa sleeve 80 of much. smaller diameter with respect 'to the, size of the pump. This has permitted a simplified and more economical; constructiom, smoother and more efiicient operation, more convenientassembly and repair, a-nd a substantialreduction in the pressures, imposed upon the flexible sleeve 80 as compared with the flexible side walls of, the precedingpumps of this general'character.

Not only, is the pump of, the presentdnvention thoroughly effective in. pumping fluids; withoutlealgage. but it is capable of effectively pumping fluid bornersolidmaterials. For such use, however, the jam-,nuts 59 are preferably adjusted-so that impeller 75' inits progression does, not actually engage both end walls' along the described radial lines of contact. 7

Although the invention has been herein shown. and describedin what is conceivedto-be the -,-most. practical and preferred embodiment, itis rec gnized that departures may be made therefromwithin the scope of-the invention, which is not to be. limited to the details disclosed herein butis to be accordedthe; full scope of the claims so asto embrace any andall equivalent devices and: apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I. claimas new and ,desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:

l. A; centrifugal pumpcomprising means having an impeller chamberv therein defined inparbby spaced walls disposed in facing relation, one of said walls having an opening centrally thereof, an auxiliary wall mountedfor substantially circular planetaryzmovement. adjacent to the opening'in the wall ofxthecham'ber means, drivemeans connected to the auxiliary; wall for imparting said circular planetary movement thereto, an impeller having opposite sides enclosed in said chamber axially swivelly engaged at one sideflwith, the auxiliary wall and at the oppositeside withrthe wall of the chamber-opposite to said opening, and a flexible wall interconnecting the auxiliary wall and said one wall of the chamber means in substantially fluid tight relation in circumscribing relationtothe, opening, thechambermeans having a port for receiving fluid adjacent to the swivel mounting-of the impeller and an outlet portoutwardly spaced therefrom.

2; In a centrifugal pump having a circular impeller mounted in the chamber-ofra housing providing spaced end walls symmetricalabout a, common, axis disposed for rolling engagement therewith by; the impeller,- the housing having afiuid inlet porttadjacent to the axis of the-end Walls and afl ido fle port:radia11Y- pa e fro said axis, theimpeller being mounted in oneof the end walls for motion of mutation and the opposite of said walls having an opening therethrough aligned with the axis of the walls; a driving head mounted for revolution about said axis adjacent to the opening in the wall, "drive means connected to the driving head for revolving the head; means integral with the impeller swivelly engaged w th the driving head axially of the impeller and eccentncally of the axis of the walls, and meansinterconnecting the driving head and the housing in substantially fluid tight relation. Y

3. A centrifugal pump having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by a pair of spaced substantially circular walls symmetrical about a common axis, a substantially circular impeller having opposite sides enclosed within the chamber axially swivelly mounted on one side thereof concentrically of one of the walls, the opposite of said walls having an opening concentrically therethrough, the housing having an inlet port substantially centrally of one of the end walls and an outlet port adjacent to the peripheries of the end walls, a driving head mounted for revolution adjacent to the opening in the wall of the housing concentrically about the axial center of the wall, drive means connected to the driving head for revolving the head, and means extended through the opening axially swivelly interconnecting the driving head and the impeller eccentrically of said axial center of the wall.

4. A centrifugal pump comprising a housing having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by a pair of spaced walls symmetrical about a common axis of reference, one of said walls having an opening therein concentric to said axis, a driving head mounted adjacent to the opening in the wall of the housing for substantially circular movement concentric to said axis in a plane substantially normal thereto, means for motivating the head in said circular movement, an impeller mounted in the chamber having opposite faces in rolling engagement with the spaced walls of the housing axially swivelly engaged with the driving head eccentrically of the axis of reference of the walls and oppositely axially swivelly engaged with the wall of the housing opposite to the wall having the opening, and a flexible wall interconnecting the driving head and the wall of the housing having the opening therein in fluid tight relation in circumscribing relation to said opening.

5. A centrifugal pump comprising a housing having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by a pair of substantially circular spaced walls symmetrical about a common axis, one of said walls having a socket concentrically therein and the opposite of said walls having a concentric opening, a drive shaft rotatably mounted adjacent to the opening in the wall of the housing in alignment with the axis of the walls, a driving head rotatably mounted on the drive shaft eccentrically of the axis whereby the driving head revolves concentrically about the axis when the drive shaft is rotated, a substantially circular impeller mounted in the chamber having opposite faces in rolling engagement with the spaced walls of the housing axially swivelly engaged in the socket of one of the walls, and means extended through said concentric opening providing axial swiveling engagement of the driving head with the impeller concentrically of the axis of rotation of the driving head on the drive shaft and eccentric of its axis of revolution.

6. In a centrifugal pump, the combination of a housing having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by a pair of substantially circular spaced walls symmetrical about a common axis, one of said walls having a socket concentrically therein and the other end wall having a concentric opening therethrough, the housing having an inlet port adjacent to the axis of the walls and an outlet port adjacent to the peripheries of the walls, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in alignment with the axis of the walls adjacent to the opening in the end wall, a driving head rotatably mounted on the drive shaft cc- 6 centrically of .the axis for circular movement in a plane substantiallynormal to the axis, of a flexible wall interconnecting the driving head and the end wall of the housing having the opening in substantially fluid tight engage ment in circumscribing relation to the opening, and a substantially circular impeller axially swivelly engaged infthe socket, of one of the end walls and axially swivelly engaged in the driving head eccentrically of the axis, the

impeller having opposite faces in rolling engagement withthe walls of the housing. I

7. A centrifugal pump comprising a drive shaft mounted in'axially fixed position, a housing mounted in fixed relation to the drive shaft having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by substantially circular spaced walls concentric to the drive shaft, one of said walls having a socket and the other of the walls having an opening both aligned with the axis of the drive shaft, a circular driving head concentrically rotatably mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft for rotation of the drive shaft therein while imparting revolutionary movement to the driving head concentrically about the axis of the drive shaft, a flexible wall interconnecting the driving head and the housing in fluid tight relation in circumscribing relation to the opening in the wall, and a substantially circular impeller axially swivelly engaged in the socket of one of the end walls and axially swivelly engaged concentrically in the driving head having opposite faces in rolling engagement with the walls of the housing.

8. A centrifugal pump comprising a drive shaft having a predetermined direction of rotation and mounted in axially fixed position, a housing mounted in fixed relation to the drive shaft having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by substantially circular spaced walls concentric to the drive shaft, one of said walls having a socket and the other of the walls having an opening both aligned with the axis of the drive shaft, the housing providing inlet ports through the wall having the socket adjacent to the socket and an outlet conduit outwardly directed from the periphery of the walls in the direction of the drive shaft rotation, a circular driving head concentrically rotatably mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft for rotation of the drive shaft therein while imparting revolutionary movement of the driving head concentrically about the axis of the drive shaft, a flexible wall interconnecting the driving head and the housing in fluid tight relation in circumscribing relation to the opening in the wall, and a substantially circular impeller axially swivelly engaged in the socket of one of the end walls and axially swivelly engaged concentrically in the driving head having opposite faces in rolling engagement with the walls of the housing.

9. A centrifugal pump comprising means having an impeller chamber therein defined in part 'by spaced walls disposed in facing relation, one of said walls having an opening centrally thereof, an auxiliary wall mounted for substantially circular planetary movement adjacent to the opening in the wall of the chamber means, drive means connected to the auxiliary wall for imparting said circular planetary movement thereto, an impeller having opposite sides enclosed in said chamber axially swivelly engaged at one side with the auxiliary wall and at the opposite side with the wall of the chamber opposite to said opening, and a flexible wall interconnecting the auxiliary wall and said one wall of the chamber means in substantially fluid tight relation in circumscribing relation to the opening, the chamber means having an inlet port for receiving fluid and an outlet port for releasing fluid from the chamber in outwardly spaced relation to the inlet port.

10. A centrifugal pump comprising a housing having an impeller chamber therein defined in part by a pair of opposed spaced walls circumscribing a common axis of reference, one of said walls having an opening therethrough on said axis, a driving head mounted adjacent to theopeningin the wall of the housing for substantially= circular planetary. movement c r1centric to said axis in a plane substantially normalthereto; means for motivating thehead in'said circular planetary-movement,- an impeller mounted in the chamber having opposite faces in rolling engagement with the spaced walls of.'the housing, means extended through said concentric opening axially swivelly interconnecting the impeller with the driving head eccentric'ally of the axis nofireferencefofthe' Walls, and an annular flexible wall. interconnecting the driving head and the-wall of thehousing in cirournscribing relation to said opening.

Refereuces'Citedin. the file-0f this patent UNITED? STATES PATENTS r.

c menu u-wm w; Swennes V Feb. 1, Thompson July.- 11, Sa-lgBesn Apr. 28; Holstein- Aug..21, Gemei-nhardt Dec. 11,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 12;

France Feb; 3, 

